This escape pod was extremely angular. According to Kalara, she launched the vehicle before her ship crash landed on Altamid, a nearby alien planet. It passed an artificial satellite en route to Starbase Yorktown, where the craft initially wasn't identified as anything other than a non-Federation vessel until Kalara herself made contact with the starbase. Computer schematics of the vessel were analyzed at Yorktown, such as in the starbase's command center while the craft was approaching the facility and, later, in Commodore Paris's office after Kalara had been taken aboard Yorktown. (Star Trek Beyond)